WALPOLE, N.H. – Returns to two bullrings and an event that will produce the highest purse in the history of the Granite State Pro Stock Series are among the headlines of the 2019 schedule for the New Hampshire based Super Late Model touring division.

The schedule begins at Claremont Speedway on Friday, May 3, and ends with the crowning of the series champion back at the New London Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut in October. The series will visit nine different tracks and three different states across the 14-race slate.

“Fourteen events has always been the number we have shot for when producing our schedule,” series president Mike Parks said. “We had the chance for a couple more dates, but this is the most we have ever scheduled and we want to make sure our teams will be able to compete at the highest level.”

After a test and tune on April 27, teams will open the season on the tight confines of Claremont Speedway in New Hampshire on Friday, May 3 with a 100-lap feature event. Just two weeks later, drivers will move just across the state to visit Lee USA Speedway as part of a combination event with the newly formed Steel Sportsman Series in their inaugural event. The first of three dates at Lee is slated for May 18 and 19.

A busy month of May concludes at New London Waterford Speedbowl, where the season will once again experiment with three, 35-lap feature races in one night. The event was a success in 2017, with three different drivers carrying the checkered flag during the night.

June begins with the return to Speedway 51 in Groveton, New Hampshire for the first time in two years. “Speedway 51 in New Hampshire is a fast quarter-mile that our teams will feel right at home on,” Parks said.

With the rest of the month off, the Independence Day celebration gets underway right back at Lee USA Speedway on Friday, July 4. The series will celebrate the holiday under the lights of the .375-mile New Hampshire oval with the fifth race of the season.

A Sunday afternoon stop is slated for Hudson International Speedway on July 14 – a track where eventual 2018 champion Devin O’Connell visited Victory Lane last season.

The series returns to the New London Waterford Speedbowl for the second time on Saturday, August 3, before returning to the high-banks of Monadnock Speedway for the annual JBH 100 on August 10 or 17. That date is the only one left on the schedule that is yet to be nailed down, but teams can expect that to be solidified in the near future.

The marquee event for the 2019 schedule is going to be on Sunday, September 1, where the Granite State Pro Stock Series will return to Claremont Speedway on Labor Day weekend for the Rocky Ridge 150.

“This is definitely our premiere event for 2019, the Rocky Ridge 150 presented by Springfield Buick GMC at Claremont,” Parks continued. “The event will pay $5,000 to the winner, and will have the largest purse to date for the Granite State Pro Stock Series. We are excited to watch drivers fight for the added cash.”

As the final stages of the championship battle begin to take shape, Star Speedway returns to the schedule on Classic weekend. The Friday, September 6, date is slated for 100 laps, and will help to kick-off another Classic weekend in style.

Teams will have a few weeks off after Star, but the battle heats up in a big way with the return to Massachusetts and Seekonk Speedway on September 27 and 28. For the first time, the Granite State Pro Stock Series will headline the D.A.V. Fall Classic for a 100-lap Seekonk thriller that will put Seekonk’s local stars up against touring series invaders. In the only previous appearance, a local champion picked up the trophy.

“Returning to Seekonk for their annual D.A.V. Fall Classic is going to be great for our series,” Parks said. “Seekonk is a premiere race facility in the Northeast and we are proud to have been able to put this event together with them. We are looking forward to returning.”

October includes the final three races of the season – one of them in New Hampshire and the other two at staple Connecticut racing ovals. All of the final three events will come on the tracks marquee weekends.

The final stop at Lee USA Speedway comes on Sunday, October 6, as part of their Octoberfest, followed by a return to Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park for the Sunoco World Series on Friday, October 11, and a 50-lap event. The champion is crowned at the Speedbowl as part of their Championship Chiller weekend on Saturday, October 19.

Teams and fans can follow the series on social media for the latest updates throughout the offseason, while also visiting www.gspss.net.

2019 GRANITE STATE PRO STOCK SERIES SCHEDULE

April 27th Claremont Speedway Test & Tune

May 3rd Claremont Speedway 100 Laps

May 18th & 19th Lee USA Laps TBA

May 25th New London Waterford Speedbowl Triple 35s

June 15th Speedway 51 100 Laps

July 4th Lee USA 100 Laps

July 14th Hudson Int’l Speedway 100 Laps

Aug 3rd New London Waterford Speedbowl 100 laps

Aug 10th or 17th Monadnock Speedway JBH 100

Sept 1st Claremont Speedway 150 Laps

Sept 6th Star Speedway 100 Laps

Sept 27th & 28th Seekonk Speedway DAV Fall Classic 100 Laps

Oct 6th Lee USA Octoberfest 100 Laps

Oct 11th Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park 50 Laps

Oct 19th New London Waterford Speedbowl 100 Laps

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21 drivers took the green flag Saturday, October 20th at the New-London Waterford Speedbowl with two men from Connecticut ending up on top. Ray Christian III of nearby Uncasville, CT battled Ben Rowe of Turner, ME side by side in the closing laps to win at his home track. Devin O’Connell of Madison, CT overcame early adversity and multiple trips down pit road to finish 16th with barley any body work left on the #43 to clinch the 2018 series championship.

“This is what we had circled, last year we came hear and ran really good, but we wanted to come here and win really bad.” Christian III said. “You can’t right a better story, [Crazy Horse Racing] has been like a second family to us, we just love those guys and we couldn’t have done it without them. Starting sixth on the field Christian III saved his stuff in the early going. Eventually battling with Ben Rowe for a multitude of laps Christian pulled away after Rowe’s car seemed to loosen up after a caution with 15 laps to go.

Earlier on in 2018 Devin O’Connell had plans to race a modified at the area Connecticut tracks but after consulting with his team they made a last minute decision to stick with their pro stock program and it surely was the right one. O’Connell finished 16th to clinch the title by just six points over second place in points Joey Doiron whom finished fourth. “I can’t believe it, I don’t think people understand that I don’t bring much other then my family and friends” O’Connell said. “I never thought in a million years we would win this championship, we worked week in and week out, and this is the most amazing feeling on the planet.” O’Connell had an average finish of seventh in the 2018 season, with two victories, his first at the high banks of Hudson International Speedway and second at Monadnock Speedway. This is O’Connells 10th championship in his career.

Early on in the race it was the Ben Rowe show as the #4me held on to a three to five car length lead over second. As the race wore on so did Rowe’s machine. Eventually settling for third and being passed by 16 year old Oxford Plains Speedway champion Gabe Brown of Center Conway, NH who finished second. Brown made a last lap hail mary attempt to take the lead on the outside of Christian III in turns three and four but didn’t get the job done. Fourth was runner up in the 2018 championship Joey Doiron of Berwick, ME and 2017 champion Mike O’Sullivan of Springfield, MA rounded out the top five.

Rolling into the World Series at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on Friday, October 12th the Granite State Pro Stock Series feature will be 50 laps and is the second to last race of the 2018 season.

Coming back to his home state for the final two races of the season, Devin O’Connell of Madison, CT is in the points lead by 20 over Joey Doiron of Berwick, ME. O’Connell will certainly be working towards a better finish then 14th at last seasons event as the series championship is within his grasp with stout competition close behind.

Nipping on the heels of third place in points is Ray Christian III of Groton, CT just 37 points behind. Christian III has experience in a pro stock and a late model at the .625 oval you have to respect the place like it’s NHMS” Christian III said. “As soon as you get comfortable, bad things can happen.”

The defending champion of this event in 2017 is making his return to the World Series. Derek Ramstrom of Worcester, MA is coming back home. “I really love this place and I miss racing here weekly” Ramstrom said. “I grew up right over at Little T Speedway, and have been watching people race here a long time.”

The race is a one day show and is scheduled for 50 laps, with traditional draw for heat placement. Gates open at 9:00am. Post time for heat races is approximately 5:00pm.